We just back from a week long visit to Lake Charles on Tuesday. I flew with both boys ALONE and survived! It actually was very successful. The boys did amazing through the airport and on the plane - especially on the way there. I think the newness of it all may have worn off a little by the time we flew home. Cooper was a bit of a wiggle worm - but the flight was only an hour, so it was very manageable.
We had such a great time being "home" for a little while. The weather was really yucky. And we missed the biggest snow storm McKinney has ever seen while we were gone. There was somewhere between 9-12 inches here!
I think it was the first morning we were there that we drove up to see a coyote right next to the driveway. Jackson was delighted! However, we couldn't find my mom's cat for a couple of hours after the "wild animal" sighting. Turns out he was hiding in the oak tree by the circle drive.
Cooper fell in love with this stool in my mom's kitchen. It made me a little nervous since I was afraid he would fall backward, but luckily we had no injuries!
Jackson wanted to take a turn, too.
We went to the children's museum on Friday, and had so much fun. My mom and I were so impressed with it. The boys could have spent days there. Literally. When we first walked in, the kids ran to the water table. It was so neat - I could have played on it forever. You could rearrange these little plastic dividers to change the current and redirect the little plastic boats. The boys thought it was so much fun to splash in the water and send the boats sailing down the stream.
Cooper was willing to try on the firefighter uniform, but Jackson decided to sit that one out.
He wasn't so sure about the hat, though. I somehow captured this picture for the 1/2 of a second that it was on his head.
Here is Cooper trying out the boat. And then Jackson found the jackpot ... a room FULL of trains.
Jackson trying to make a "hole in one" here with the golf ball.
Next, we went "shopping" at the grocery store.
Jackson filled up two baskets full of groceries, and at one point said, "Oh no, mommy, this can is empty." I assured him that it was okay, and that the food was just pretend. He looked at me like I was nuts.
Our neighbor, Mrs. Brenda, gave the boys a Christmas present while we were there. They LOVED tearing it open, but my mom and I weren't thrilled about putting it together. Haha. I thought it was a pop-up tent, but it actually required quite a bit of assembly and coordination. For the last ten days or so, I have been having quite a bit of pain in my ribs and chest - my dr. thinks it is costochondritis - where the cartilage that is connecting my ribs to the my sternum is inflamed. I had a really bad cough for nearly a month (remember when we all got sick with rsv). Anyway, being pregnant doesn't really help, either. My mom had cuts on her fingers, and the two of us made quite a pair trying to assemble the tent. But, it was worth it! It is huge, and the boys had a blast playing in it all week (Thanks Mrs. Brenda!).
While we were there, we got to visit some friends, Maria & Gianna, and Kate & John Paul. I wish we had taken more pictures, but we were busy keeping our rather clingy children happy.
Cooper was putting things on his head (like usual). I think John Paul was drumming on it, and Cooper was enjoying himself until Jackson pulled it off and then he started crying, so I put it back on, and I think Gianna got whacked in the face somehow.
The boys were tuckered out when we got in the car, and as hard as I tried I couldn't keep them awake until we got home (no nap time for us that day).
Cooper also enjoyed putting random laundry baskets on his head at my mom's house.
Emily and Abby came over to play. If possible, Abby gets even more adorable every time I see her.
We tried to get a group shot of the kids, but Jackson was a little too hyper, and Cooper was acting shy next to Abby.
First he pretended to be really interested in his bluejeans, then he decided to stick his tongue, and finally gave a little smile once Emily tickled him.
I'll post more soon on Mardi Gras!
The motorcycle cops came and cleared the street just as the parade was beginning. It was REALLY loud, and the boys were mesmerized.
Abby was pretty tired.
Ms. Cajun Crawfish - Supreme.
A duck in a convertible (?)
Pirate ships.
Lots of big floats
A petting zoo on a flatbed trailer. Actually, there were two petting zoos in the parade.
Boats pulled behind trucks.
Bounce Houses on floats. 
K-Jons (Port-a-Potties) on the back, just in case.
Ms. Cajun Crawfish - Supreme.
A duck in a convertible (?)
Pirate ships.
Lots of big floats
A petting zoo on a flatbed trailer. Actually, there were two petting zoos in the parade.
Boats pulled behind trucks.
Bounce Houses on floats. 
K-Jons (Port-a-Potties) on the back, just in case.
Jackson came home with a bag FULL of loot - beads, candy, cups, and doubloons.
Thank you, Louisiana!
